Wedding Reception Order of Events

[Sabine]

I''m just starting to work on the reception timeline, and my first snag is we can''t decide when we want to do our first dance.

Option 1: Bridal party intro, bride/groom intro, then first dance, immediately followed by dinner, toasts cake cutting, slideshow/parent dances, then open dancing. This option makes me nervous since it will be the only dance before dinner, which seems a bit awkward to me.

Option 2: Bridal party intro, bride/groom intro, dinner, toasts, cake cutting, first dance, followed by slideshow and parent dances. This option seems like people will be standing around watching A LOT after dinner before they start dancing themselves.

Also, we are planning to do a slideshow of us growing up. If you were at a wedding, would you like the slideshow to be played once through, and then repeat through the parent dances, or do you get bored watching the parent dances and would want the slideshow to start when they do so you have the option of what to watch?

Thanks!

 

[Courtneylub]

Date: 6/5/2008 7:45:47 AM
Author:Sabine
I''m just starting to work on the reception timeline, and my first snag is we can''t decide when we want to do our first dance.

Option 1: Bridal party intro, bride/groom intro, then first dance, immediately followed by dinner, toasts cake cutting, slideshow/parent dances, then open dancing. This option makes me nervous since it will be the only dance before dinner, which seems a bit awkward to me.

Option 2: Bridal party intro, bride/groom intro, dinner, toasts, cake cutting, first dance, followed by slideshow and parent dances. This option seems like people will be standing around watching A LOT after dinner before they start dancing themselves.

Also, we are planning to do a slideshow of us growing up. If you were at a wedding, would you like the slideshow to be played once through, and then repeat through the parent dances, or do you get bored watching the parent dances and would want the slideshow to start when they do so you have the option of what to watch?

Thanks!

Either way really..it''s up to you on if you want to play the slideshow a couple of times through. I think it should definitely be played during the parents'' dances either way.

I like option 1 better than option 2.

 

[Sabine]

Thanks Courtney! Anyone else?

 

[rubybeth]

Date: 6/5/2008 7:45:47 AM
Author:Sabine
Option 1: Bridal party intro, bride/groom intro, then first dance, immediately followed by dinner, toasts cake cutting, slideshow/parent dances, then open dancing. This option makes me nervous since it will be the only dance before dinner, which seems a bit awkward to me.


Option 2: Bridal party intro, bride/groom intro, dinner, toasts, cake cutting, first dance, followed by slideshow and parent dances. This option seems like people will be standing around watching A LOT after dinner before they start dancing themselves.

Does it have to be one or the other? If so, option 2. If not, I would rearrange it like this:

Bridal party intro, bride/groom intro (these usually don''t take long unless you have like 15 attendants each). Dinner, slideshow (easy to segue into slideshow while everyone is already seated), toasts (same thing, easy segue). First dance after toasts, invite everyone to dance, then later, have the DJ announce that you''re going to cut your cake (cake is especially tasty after everyone has worked up another appetite). Just an idea!

I realize you may have other reasons for having to do everything all at once, like a photog. by the hour.

 

[Sabine]

Thanks Rubybeth. The reason we wanted to do the cake cutting almost right after dinner is that I''ve heard that people often don''t eat the cake if it''s cut later because they are too busy doing other things. But this might be something we decide we don''t care about.

FI has decided he doesn''t want to do the first dance before dinner. So now my new question is, is it normal to have the bridal party enter, then bride and groom, and then have dinner start right then?

Any other suggestions on order of events?

 

[zoebartlett]

Date: 6/8/2008 8:35:20 AM
Author: Sabine
Thanks Rubybeth. The reason we wanted to do the cake cutting almost right after dinner is that I''ve heard that people often don''t eat the cake if it''s cut later because they are too busy doing other things. But this might be something we decide we don''t care about.

FI has decided he doesn''t want to do the first dance before dinner. So now my new question is, is it normal to have the bridal party enter, then bride and groom, and then have dinner start right then?

Any other suggestions on order of events?

I''m pretty sure this is how my venue typically does it. We were given a timeline of the day''s events (beginning from the ceremony at 11:00), and I believe we''re eating right after the cocktail hour/pictures, with the first dance and other dancing to follow.

 

[marchswallowbird]

Sabine, it''s your wedding. Do it the way you want. There are no set rules. If guests are too busy doing other things to eat your wedding cake, it''s their loss!!

 

[Sabine]

Thanks everyone! I think to cut down on the stuff after dinner, we are going to do teh toasts before dinner right after we are introduced. Hopefully this will help transition into dinner!

 

[musey]

Here's a thread that might help a bit with the order of things:

https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/reception-order-of-events.64348/

As far as the slideshow, it's really your choice. I never pay attention to them anyway (shh, don't tell!) so I can hardly advise

ETA: I promise I'm not trying to threadjack, just one quick question... are intros necessary? Or can I skip them and just do the dance(s)?

 

[newbie124]

Sorry to jump in as well, but who usually gives a speech besides the best man? Do both dads or usually just the bride''s?